Sabbath is one of those terms that many of us have heard and maybe even use, but it still feels like an enigma. When we hear about the Sabbath as a “day of rest,” we mothers cock our heads and wonder, How on earth can I rest as a mom? But thinking of the Sabbath only as a day to “not work” limits the view of what we’re offered. The Sabbath is the fourth of the Ten Commandments.
The reason given is simple: “For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.”5 This points us back to the creation account—you can’t even get two pages into the Bible before you see the Sabbath. God, after creating the heavens and the earth and everything in it, rested. Not because he was tired but because he had completed his good work. The Bible tells us that God set the example of the Sabbath for humankind so that we would learn to rest in his goodness and work before we start our own. When we rest, we remember how powerful and all-sufficient God is and who we are in him. We can bask in God’s glory rather than “being” and “doing” and “accomplishing.” More than anything, rest is a state of the heart.
Because of the person and work of Christ, we can have spiritual rest. No matter what we’re facing, we can focus on our delight and joy in him and his accomplished work, not our own. Christians may not all agree on whether we should set aside an entire day, as the Israelites did, but we all acknowledge the principle that God commands we rest for our good and his glory.
Just like God wanted to remind the Israelites that they were no longer slaves to Egypt or their pagan gods, he wants us to remember that our lives and choices should not be dictated by work, fashion, social media, our homes, our children’s demands, our in-laws’ preferences, or our own sinful desires. We are daughters of the Most High. God is our deliverer. And now, we freely walk in the Spirit that lives in us because of Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf. When this gets under your skin, you can be free of the constant need to achieve and produce and start to value the God-given gift of rest. Whether that’s prioritizing a good night’s sleep instead of staying up too late, resting from screens or media, or taking a full day off your traditional work so that you can enjoy something fun and think about the Lord, there are many ways to practice rest as a mom!
• Take time to study passages of Scripture that talk about the Sabbath or the general idea of rest. This will help you understand what types of rest are available to you and why God designed this as an important pattern of life.
• Pick a day or even a couple of hours each week where you’d like to set aside some of your normal work and do something that helps you focus on who God is and enjoy the good gifts he’s given you. (Hint: This could even be laying aside the laundry basket and just freely swinging in the hammock in the backyard, enjoying the sunshine and your kids with no pressure to multitask!)
• Take time to do some things that move you to worship. This might be taking a walk, spending time with friends, or practicing a hobby like painting, sewing, basketball, or writing.
• Focus on your sleep. Even though moms don’t always have control over nighttime wakings and feedings, what can you do to prioritize healthy sleep habits?
• Take a digital detox by setting aside your phone for certain parts of the day or a day each week—or even taking a break from social media.
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Gospel Mom, by Emily A. Jensen and Laura Wifler, shows moms how to navigate their everyday decisions and current circumstances through a biblical lens, and experience the freedom and confidence in who God made them to be.
As friends, fellow moms, and expert guides, Emily and Laura walk you step-by-step through the practices and thinking of how to rest in the grace of Christ, gaining peace and assurance in your motherhood.
Learn more about the book and how to purchase here.
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